Mechanical bleach chamber



' 4 March 10,1925- c. F. VAUGHN ET'AL MECHANICAL BLEACH CHAMBER Filed Dec 51, 1921- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorneys March 10, 19.2

F. VAUGHN ET AL MECHANICAL BLEACH CHAMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec 51, 1921 C Invenlors 0,

AllorneyS Patented Mar. .10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. VAUGHN AND HORACE D. MUN SON, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, AS- SIGNORS TO MATHIESON ALKALI W'OBKS, INC., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

MECHANICAL BL ACH CHAMBER.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES F. VAUGHN and Home]: D. MUNsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Niagar Falls, in .5 the county of Niagara and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and use-. ful Improvements in Mechanlcal Bleach,

Chambers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

This invention relates to devices for exposing a substance to the action of a gas or vapor and particularly to bleach chambers pair; with which a large capacity per unit of 25 space occupied is possible; in which the interior of the chamber is easily accessible and may be entered within a few minutes. afterv the gas is shut OE and fresh material introduced; which produces a product of superior .u and unifo in quality; which may be used to dry various substances, and which is relatively eiiicient, simple and inexpensive. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in claims.

In the practice of. the invention the substance to be treated or dried is raked across a floor of the treating chamber in the presence of the desired gas, air or vapor, and where chemical reactions occur the, floor is preferably refrigerated or heated to control the temperature of the reaction. The novel mechanism by which this is done will be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing I Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention with a portion of the chamber broken away to show the interior thereof;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, with the rake devicein one position; a

Application filed December 31, 1921. Serial No. 526,261.

Figure 3 is a similar View with the rake devices in another position; Figure l is a cross sectional elevation of the same with the rake device in. the position shown in Figure 2;.and

Figure is an elevation of a portion of the apparatus showing the control ofthe air lift valves by thereciprocating cross frame.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an elongated casing 1 forming the exposure chamber is provided with a floor 2. which is preferably refrigerated by means of pipes 3 beneath the same which carry a suitable cooling liquid. An inlet conduit 4 admits the desired gas or vapor to thecasing 1 at one end and if necessary, an outlet conduit 5 removes thegas or vapor from the opposite end of the casing. A truss-like oonveyor frame 6 is disposed within the chamber of the casing and is provided at its lower end with cross beams 7, each of which carries thereon a row of small plows or tines 8, the plows or tines of each bar being staggered with respect to those of the bar immediately in front and to the rear thereof. T he frame is provided with upstanding arms or extensions 9 which pass through apertures 10 in the upper wall 11 of the casing l, the apertures 10 bein'g'elongated in the direction of the length of the casing. The arms 9 each pass through and carry a lute 12.

which has a depending peripheral rectangular flange 13. An upright rectangular continuous channel 14 surrounds each opening 10 of the upper Wall 11,and receives freely therein the depending flange of the superposed lute. The channel 14: contains a suitable sealing liquid, beneath the surface of which the flange 13 projects so as to seal the aperture 10 against the passage of gas therethrough and at the same time permit both vertical and horizontal movement therein of the lute which is carried bythe arm. 9 passing through this aperture.v The upper ends of the arms 9 are connected lengthwise of the casing by top members 15 which are supported upon rollers 1.6 carried by crank arms 17. The crank arms are fixed upon transversely disposed shafts 18 which ex-- tend across the casing and are rotatably sup ported upon the upper wall 11 thereof. The conveyor frame is therefore capable of rolling movements in a direction endwise of the casing upon the rollers 16 and when the shafts 18 are operated the frame may be lifted vertically without interfering with its rolling movement.

The plunger 19 of an airlift 20 is connected by rods or links 21 to crank arms 22 upon the shafts 18, so that when the plunger 19 is moved downwardly, the conveyor frame will be lifted vertically, and when moved in the other direction the frame will be allowed to descend, all the while being free to roll endwise upon the rollers 16. An air inlet conduit 23 leading to the airlift is controlled by a valve 24. An air exhaust conduit 25 leading from the airlift is controlled by a valve 26. A cross frame 27 is suit-ably mounted for reciprocation in spaced guides 28 and movement is imparted to the frame by a connecting rod 29 and a crank arm 30 that is carried by a continuously rotating shaft 31. The cross frame 27 at its two ends is connected by links 32 with rods 33 extending from the frame 6, through a vertically extending aperture 3 1 in an end wall of the casing, whereby as the cross frame reciprocates, this movement will be transmitted to the frame 6 to cause it to travel back and forth in an endwise direction within the casing 1 and a limited vertical movement of the conveyor frame will be permitted. T ie rods 33 also pass through a vertically elongated aperture 35 in a box 36 carried by the casing 1. The box is filled with hydrated fresh lime and thus acts as a stufiing box with the lime as packing to prevent leakage of the gas from the casing along the rods Plates 3'? and 38 are slidably carried by the box and casing to cover the apertures 3% and 35 and the rods 33 pass through and slide in these plates. The plates slide vertically with the rods and the conveyor frame without uncovering the apertures.

A lime magazine 39 is connected to one end of the casing 1 to discharge lydrated lime therein and a reciprocating plunger 40 at the lower end of the magazine is adapted to inject the lime into the casing in charges. A crank device 41 driven from a shaft 42 imparts reciprocat-ions to the plunger 40.

The shaft 1-2 is continuously driven from any suitable source of power, not shown. A discharge chute 43 controlled by suitable valve mechanism, not shown, is arranged in the floor of the casing at the end opposite from the magazine. The cross frame 27 at the limits of its reciprocation is, by means of trips 13 thereon, adapted to engage with and operate valve operating elements L and -15 which control the valves 25% and 26. That is. at the forward limit of travel a trip 43 of the cross frame will engage with and operate the valve operating element 4% of the valve 2 1 so as to cause an operation of the airlift, and at the other limit of movement of the cross frame, a trip 43 thereon operates the valve controlling member 45 of the other valve 26.

In operation, the shafts 31 and 12 are continuously driven and the magazine 39 is supplied with fresh lime, from which the lime is injected in charges into the casing at one end. As the conveyor frame 6 moves forwardly and away from the magazine end, the plows or tines rake the lime over the refrigerated floor of the chamber towards the discharge chute, and during this operation the fresh surfaces of the lime are repeatedly exposed to the action of the gas or vapor which is admitted to the chamber through inlet 4 and removed therefrom, if necessary, through the outlet 5. As the conveyor frame reaches the limit of its movement toward the discharge chute, a trip 43 of the cross frame 27 will engage the valve operating member 4.4 of the valves 24 and admit air through the air inlet 23 to the airlift 20. The plunger 19 is thereupon shifted downwardly and through the links 21, the shafts 18 are rotated to carry the rollers 16 thereon upwardly, which action bodily lifts the conveyor frame 6 upwardly until the conveyor plows or tines are above the level of the lime upon the floor of the chamber. As the shaft 31 continues to rotate, the cross frame will be given a movement in the opposite or rearward direction and the conveyor frame 6 will be carried in the reverse direction to ard the magazine end of the chamber, the conveyor frame rolling upon the rollers 16. As the conveyor frame reaches the limit of its movement toward the magazine end of the casing, a trip 43 of the cross frame 2? will engage and operate valve operating member 15 of the valve 26, which opens the air exhaust conduit 25 and releases the air from the airlift, whereupon the plunger 19 will rise and permit the conveyor frame to fall to its lower posit-ion, in which the plows or tines are just out of contact with the floor of the chamber. Continued rotation of the shaft 31 will then carrying the conveyor frame again toward the discharge end of the casing and the plows or tines will rake the lime over the floor of the chamber toward the discharge end through a further increment of movement, and at the same time, new surfaces of the lime will. be exposed to the action of the gas within 'lhe chamber. It will, therefore, be seen that the lime is conveyed across the refrigerated floor by the tines of the conveyor frame (3 and always disposed in furrows which are coir tinually being broken up and turned over by the tines or plows so that the gas or vapor may have contact with every particle of the lime and new particles are continual- 1y being brought into contact with the re frigerated floor.

The gas or vapor is preferably admitted to the chamber at the lime discharge end so as to travel against the motion of the conveyor. The fresh chlorine gas thus first liili ll ii comes into contact with the chlorinated lime just prior to its discharge so thatcomplete chlorination will be effected. Suitable means, not shown, is provided for varying the driving speed of the shafts 31 and 42 so that the rate of operation of the conveyor and of the lime charging mechanism may be effected independently of one another to compensatefor variations in'the strength of the gas and quality of the lime and insure a uniform quality of product.

We also contemplate driving the shaft 31 through one half of a revolution at a higher rate than the other half by suitable variable speed devices in order that the idle return movements of the conveyor can be effected more rapidly than the forward or raking movements. the floor of the chamber a more nearly constant movement than if a greater time were consumed in the idle return or backward movements of the conveyor.

In this construction, with the gas shut off, a few minutes operation of the conveyor after the introduction of new lime will clear the chamber so that it may be entered for inspection or repairs without undue discomfort. The bearing surfaces and principal operating parts are all disposed on the exterior of the chamber out of contact with the gas, so that only a mimmum number of parts within the casing must be-made of a material which is not corroded or chemically affected by the gas or vapor employed. lVith this construction the operation may be successfully carried on with an exceptionally strong gas, it having been found that a gas testing may be economically and satisfactorily employed.

The continual breaking up of the furrows brings new particles of the lime into contact with the refrigerated floor which absorbs the heat produced by the reaction.

This materially improves the control of the temperature of the lime during the reaction. By varying the temperature of the cooling medium within the coils 3 the temperature of the floor can be regulated as desired.

lVhile the invention has been described as utilized in connection with the chlorination of lime, it will be understood that this is solely for the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention and that the apparatus may also be used to expose any sub stance to the action of a gas, or to expose a substance to air to dry the same. In some instances it may be desirable to sup ply heat through the pipes 3 in the floor in order to initiate. and maintain chemical reactions between a substance and a gas. Heat may also be advantageously employed in the pipes 3 when a substance is being exposed to the action of a gas or air to remove its moisture. The quality of the This imparts to the lime upon bleach may be improved by conveying it over a floor kept at a slightly higher temperature than the interior chamber through which the dry gas is conveyed.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts of the embodiment herein described and illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet, a substance inlet and a substance outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said-framework passing freely through sealed apertures in said chamber and means external to said chamber to support and operate said framework through said extensions.

2. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet, a substance inlet and a substance outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber support ing a'rake device, extensions of said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in n'iovablo lutes sealing said apertures and means ex ternal to said chamber to support and op erate said framework through said extensions.

3. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet, a substance inlet and a substance outlet, and a temperature regulated floor between the sub stance inlet and outlet, a unitary frame work within. said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said framework passing freely through sealcdapertures in said chamber and means external to said chamber to support and operate said framework through said extensions.

4:. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamberhaving a gas inlet, a substance inlet, a substance outlet and a temperature regulated floor between the inlet and the outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures and means'external to said chamber chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said framework passing freelythrough sealed apertures in said chamber and means external to said chamber to sup port and operate said framework through said extensions.

6. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a substance inlet, a substance outlet, a temperature regulated floor between the substance inlet and outlet, and means to pass a gas over said floor in a direction from the substance outlet toward the substance inlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said framework passing fneei through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures and means external to said chamber to support and operate said framework through said extensions.

T. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet, a substance inlet and a substance outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions rigidly connected to said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures, and means external to said chamber to support and operate said framework through said extensions;

8. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having agas inlet, and a substance inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the floor of said chamber, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device above said floor; extensions of said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures and being adapted to permit vertical motion and longitudinal motion of said extensions, means exter nal to said chamber to support said framework through said extensions and impart alternating vertical motion thereto and means operating through a sealed aperture in said chamber to impart alternating longitudinal motion to said framework.

9. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or Vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a substance inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the floor of said chamber and means to pass a gas over said floor in a direction from the substance outlet toward the substance inlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device above said floor, extensions of said framework passing freely through and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures and being adapted to permit vertical motion and longitudinal motion of said extensions, means external to said chamber to support said framework through said extensions, and impart alternating vertical motion thereto and means operating through a sealed aperture in said chamber to impart alternating longitudinal motion to said framework.

10. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet and a substance inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the floor of said chamber, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device above the floor of said chamber, extensions in said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures, means operating through a sealed aperture in said chamber to move said framework bark and forth between the substa ce inlet and outlet and means operating through said extensions to raise said framework at the end of the stroke toward the substance outlet and lower said framework at the end of the stroke toward the substance inlet.

11. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a inlet, a substance inlet and a substance outlet, and a temperature regulated floor between the substanceinlet and outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device above said floor, extensions of said framework passing freely through apertures in said chamber and being fixed in movable lutes sealing said apertures, means operating through a sealed aperture in said chamber to move said framework back and forth between the substance inlet and outlet and means operating through said extensions to raise said framework at the end of the stroke toward the substance outlet and lower said framework at the end of the stroke toward the substance inlet.

12. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet and a substance inlet and outlet at opposite ends thereof, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, vertical extensions of said framework passing through and being fixed in lutes with depending flanges, channels receiving the flanges of said lutes and a sealing medium therein, members external to said chamber attached to said extensions, movable rolls supporting said members, means operating through a sealed aperture to impart alternating longitudinal motion to said framework, and means to oscillate said rollers to impart alternating vertical motion to said framework.

13. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet and a substance inlet and a substance outlet, a unitary framework within said chamber supporting a rake device, extensions of said framework passlif,

ing through sealed apertures in said. chamber, means operating through said apertures in said chamber to impart a longitudinal motion to said framework, and means coacting with said last named means at the ends of the stroke thereof to alternately raise and lower said framework through said extensions.

14;. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gasinlet, an inlet for supplying the substance to be treated to one end of the chamber, and an outlet for removing the substance from the other end of the chamber, a unitary framework in said chamber having a plurality of tines depending therefrom, said framework having extensions, passing through the walls of the chamber, means for seailng the chamber around the extensions but permitting vertical and longitudinal movement of the ex tensions in said walls, means on the exterior of the chamber for supporting said framework for movement back and forth bet-ween the substance inlet and outlet to rake the substance from the substance inlet towards the outlet and expose fresh surfaces of the substance to the action of the gas, and means for automatically lifting the framework to remove the tines thereof from the substance during the movement of the framework towards the substance inlet andlowering it during its movement in the opposite direction.

15. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a gas-tight chamber having a gas inlet, an inlet for supplying the substance to be treated to one end of the chamber, and an outlet for removing the substance from the other end of the chamber, a unitary framework in said chamber having a plurality of tines depending therefrom, said framework having extensions passing through the walls of the chamber, means for sealing the chamber around the extensions but permitting vertical and longitudinal movement of the extensions in said walls, vertically adjustable supports upon which the extensions are supported for horizontal movement in the direction between the substance inlet and outlet, means for moving said framework back and forth on the supports, means for automatically shifting the supports upwardly to raise the framework so as to carry the tines clear of the substance onthe floor of the chamber and holding them in this position during the movement of the framework towards the substance inlet and for releasing the support to allow the framework to descend and carry the tines into engagement with the substance at the endof the movement and remain in this position during the movementof the framework in the opposite direction whereby the substance is raked over the floor ing a plurality of tines depending therefrom,

said framework having extensions passing through the walls of the chamber, means for sealing the chamber around the extensions but permitting vertical and longitudinal movement of'the extensions in said walls, vertically adjustable supports upon which the extensions are supported for horizontal movement in the direction between the substance: inlet and outlet, means for moving said framework back and forth on the supports, pneumatic means for shifting the supports upwardly to carry the tines out of contact with the substance upon the floor of the chamber, air valves for controlling said pneumatic means and operated by the framework, moving means whereby the sup ports will be shifted to lift the framework and hold it in raised position during the movement of the framework toward the substance inlet, and allow it to descend at the end of this movement and remain in descended position during the movement of the framework towards the substance outlet, the movements of the framework raking the substance across the floor of the chamber and repeatedly exposing fresh surfaces of the substance to the action of the gas.

17 In a device forexposing a substance to the action of a gas or vapor, a chamber, rake frame in said chamber having depending tines for raking the substance over the floor of the chamber, said frame having extensions projecting through elongated apertures in the roof of the chamber. liquid sealed lutes in the roof through which the extensions pass and which allow of limited backward and forward horizontal and vertical movement of the extensions without opening of the chamber, means forsupporting the frame through said extensions for horizontal movement, means for imparting repeated horizontal movements to the frame, and automatic means for shifting the supports to hold the frame elevated during the horizontal movement in one direction 18. In a device for exposing a substance to contact with a gas or vapor, a chamber, upon the floor of which the substance to be treated is placed, a rake device in said chamber, a pair of shafts extending crosswise of the chamber, arms on said shafts having rollers thereon, said rake device having rails which support it for rolling movement upon said device and maintain it elevated during its rearward movement and lower it at the end of the rearward movement.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our signatures.

GHN.

CHARLES F. VA HORACE D. MUNSON. 

